There Is No Finish Line

My sweet niece, Karsyn just played her last high school basketball game. Karsyn has played basketball since she was six. Last year her team won state. I wrote her the following letter before she played in the state game:

Kars,

Years of training got you to where you are today. Take time and think about all the practices you didn't want to go to, how tired you felt when you practiced all night, went home, did homework, and did it again the next day. There is a reason you are where you are. Most people do not have the dedication you've shown since you were a little girl. 

Michael Phelps did an Under Armour commercial I loved. My favorite quote from that is IT IS WHAT YOU DO IN THE DARK THAT BRINGS YOU INTO THE LIGHT. All the hard work you've done has put you in the light today. When you walk into the stadium, remember the moment. Remember the feeling you have, remember what it looks like, take a deep breath in, and never forget the taste of success. You will remember this moment for the rest of your life. Playing in a state championship...This is what dreams are made of. 

Don't lose focus today. You've come too far to only come this far.

Karsyn may be done with high school basketball, but the disciplines she learned through basketball has prepared her for the rest of her life. This isn’t her finish line. There are no shortcuts in life. It is the discipline she created through sports that will carry her to rely on her routines, and to be successful in her next chapter.

Here is what I encourage you to think about - How many times do we look forward to a finish line? Someone who is losing weight, and they wait to arrive at that special number. When they arrive that will be the finish line. Wrong. When you arrive, it is still work, but your focus shifts to maintaining. You can’t just throw it in. Embrace the process, enjoy the journey.

Karsyn, the clock may be up on your basketball career, but it’s just began for the rest of your life. You are ready.